The Price You Pay
by Thief of Black Winged Hearts
Summary: Sometimes, it's not worth paying the price... Warning: rated T for dark material and general creepyness


Hi, people! This is a short one-shot that I decided to post. I didn't want to get suckered into a longer story, so I kept it pretty brief. This is a glimpse of an alternate world I imagined, where Edward became a homunculus named Regret. Treat it as a writing exercise. Hope you enjoy it!

I don't own FMA, because if I did there would be someone better for Ed than Winry. Just saying.

The Price You Pay

"Al? Al? Al! Where are you?" Edward cried, forgetting the pain in his leg. It failed. The transmutation failed, and now his brother was gone. Where was his brother? No… he couldn't be dead. Edward refused to believe Al was dead. This was all wrong. What happened? Ed thought they'd had it all figured out. Apparently, you couldn't pay enough for some things. And they had paid with everything they had. Wait! Something was moving in the mist. Could it be?

"Mom?" Ed croaked, eyes wide with childlike hope. Then the mist cleared, and Edward's little face froze. What was in the middle of the circle looked nothing like a human. It was distorted, malformed. And worst of all, the poor thing was breathing, ragged shuddering breaths. Then, as Ed watched, it hacked up a tone of blood, shuddered, and died. Right before his very eyes. This was too much for Ed. His last hope had been dashed in the cruelest of fashions. Retching, Ed tried to clear his mind of the image, but to no avail. It was burned there and would stay there for the rest of his life. He had to forget about what they had tried to do. Right now, he had to focus on Al.

He was still alive. Ed could tell that Al was still alive somewhere. But he sensed that he was running out of time. He needed to do something fast. Binding his leg, he scooted over to a suit of armor and drew a transmutation circle on it. Then he looked at the sky and prayed, tears flowing down his face. "Oh brother, please don't pay for the mistakes I made," he whispered. His golden eyes searched for the stars he couldn't see. "I'll pay anything!" he shouted, eyes ablaze with fire, "Just give my brother back to me!" Slamming his hands together, he brought his hands down on the armor, visualizing his brother's body forming inside it. There was a flash of red transmutation light, and Ed was standing before the Gate. In front of the Gate was the Truth, grinning like a maniac and shaking his head.

"Back again, you arrogant fool," he said, still shaking his head, "Was one leg not enough? What do you want this time?"

"I want my brother back!" said Edward, a brazen ten year old standing before god. Ed's golden eyes filled with tears. "I'll trade anything; just don't let Al pay for the mistakes I made!"

"Anything, you say? Are you absolutely sure?" asked the Truth, tilting its head slightly.

"Yes," said Edward, not even missing a beat. He thought he had lost all there was to lose. He thought things couldn't get worse from here. Fate, and the Truth, would prove just how wrong he was.

The Truth's grin grew. "Deal," said the Truth, snapping his fingers to open the Gate. In the black depths, something stirred. Black hands pushed a small bundle out before the doors snapped shut. Ed had just enough time to see his brother peacefully sleeping before he faded and disappeared. Watching from above, Ed saw his little brother reach Earth, settling in the wreckage of their failed transmutation. He bent his head, tears running down his little face. Safe. His brother was safe, and he felt he had never been happier in his life.

"There," said the Truth, "Just like I said he's safe and unharmed."

Edward beamed at the Truth. "Thank you so much." He said in his little quivering voice. How little he knew.

"However, there is a price to be paid for this. You do recall the equivalent exchange, little alchemist?" Slowly, the smile slid from Ed's face. Al was safe, but at what price? The Truth leaned forward coming closer to Edward. "What you paid," whispered the Truth, "Is your humanity. I'm taking everything from you. Your name, your memories, your morals. The highest price one can pay. But even with that, it wasn't enough. So, the rest of the cost was transferred to your brother. He is now cursed. He will gain everything, and then he will lose it all. And in the end, he will die by your hands, little alchemist." Ed face paled in horror as the Truth began to laugh. "That is the price you pay." He said cruelly, and for Edward, the room went black.

*************

Ten Years Later

Al sighed gazing up at the silvery moon, the wind his short, golden hair. The moon always looked beautiful in Resembool. It had looked beautiful the year before, on the night he had proposed to Winry. They were getting married tomorrow, but tonight Al couldn't help but remember who wouldn't be his best man. Edward should've been there on the day he had proposed to Winry, teasing him and making plans for the wedding. Al missed his brother so much it hurt, and tonight was the anniversary of the day he died. Tears of gratitude slipped down his cheeks as he recognized the sacrifice Edward had made so he could keep living. It was thanks to him that he had a life at all, a life to grow up and fall in love in. It was thanks to his brother that he was having his wedding tomorrow.

"Thank you brother," he said, gazing up at the silvery moon. "For everything you did for me. Thank you for my life. I miss you every day and I love you. I hope you're smiling down at me and Winry from heaven." How wrong he was.

"Who are you talking to?" asked a voice from behind. Al turned around, startled out of his musings. A boy was standing behind him, looking shyly at the ground. He was dressed in a black coat that covered his whole body. He had long, golden hair with one little piece that stuck up like an antenna. Al felt his heart give a wrench. The boy looked exactly like Ed did when he was little. But it wasn't him. It couldn't be, Edward was long dead.

"Just talking to myself," Al replied, gazing back up at the stars. Without looking away, he said, "I'm getting married tomorrow, and I was so nervous and excited that I couldn't sleep. By the way, my name's Al. What's your name?" he asked, looking kindly al the little boy.

"Are you in love with her?" asked the boy, completely ignoring Al's question. He was still staring at the ground, too nervous to look up at Al. Al's brow furrowed a little, but he still answered the question.

"I love her more than my own life," he answered solemnly.

"Are you happy?" asked the boy. By now, Al was getting a little uneasy.

"Yes, of course," Al replied, confused at all the questioning from this strange boy, "But why-" Al stopped, blinking. Slowly, he looked down to where the boy was now standing, and at the cold blade now lodged directly beneath his heart. "What?" he breathed, before his knees gave way and he crumpled to the grass.

"That's too bad," said the boy above him. "I really hate people like you." Slowly, Al rolled over, looking up into the face of his killer. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the boy face, and a look of recognition passed across his.

"Ed…ward?" Al breathed, gazing up at his ten year old brother's face. However, Edward's eyes showed no recognition at the sight of his brother's face. Only pain and hatred shone from his purple eyes, and ugly sneer formed at his lips. Al struggled, eyes swimming as his vision began to go dark. He was sure it was his brother, he would recognize him anywhere. But if this was his brother, then…"Why?" asked Al, merely a breath sliding past his lips, his tawny eyes going dark as his vision failed him altogether. But he could still hear the reply from the boy above, and it tore him to pieces.

"Why?" asked the purple eyed boy, who then grinned, displaying slightly pointed teeth. "Simply because I enjoy killing people like you. You humans disgust me." Al shuddered, gave one last rasping breath and lay still, forever lost to the Gate. The boy's smile widened, the death of the blond haired man pleasing him. In one swift motion that moved faster than the eye can see, he plucked the knife from Al's chest, wiping the blood off on his own shirt. Turning to walk away, he paused then spoke over his shoulder to the newly-killed corpse. "You wanted to know my name? Then I'll tell you." The boy then walked away, speaking so the wind would carry his words back. "I am Regret the homunculus," Edward said, walking away into the setting moon.

"Fear me."

* * *

Isn't it so creepy? I wrote this at night, then got scared because what I wrote freaked me out! Review, please!!!


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